Tiger and Dove
by The Altar and the Door
Summary: Tigerheart and Dovewing reflect on what has happened in the past, and what their future holds for them. Spoilers for The Last Hope.


**AN: So this is a prequel to a story that I'm planning. It's to be called Tiger's Dove, and it should be interesting. It's about what would happen if Tigerheart and Dovewing had kits :)  
**

Tiger and Dove

The two were always together at night. It was forbidden, but they could not be stopped. Love was something stronger than loyalty to the warrior code. So when the time came for them to part ways, nothing but a bitter emptiness filled his heart.

The dark brown tabby stared off into the distance as he stood atop a fallen branch. The branch was his favorite place to look out across the greenleaf Twoleg clearing. It was from this height he could see patrols checking the border to ensure that no ShadowClan warrior crossed it. His amber eyes were always watching as he waited for the one cat he longed to see emerge from those bushes.

His eyes suddenly wavered when the bushes rattled. Hope flared in his heart as he waited for a pair of blue eyes to greet his own.

Disappointment quickly replaced that hope when he saw that they were not blue. Instead they were a piercing amber, much like his own, but instead they were filled with determination. He recognized Spiderleg almost immediately. The long-limbed tom was known for his aggressive nature. He had to be since his mother had been killed in the battle against the Dark Forest.

"No signs of ShadowClan here," Spiderleg grumbled as more cats emerged to join him. A small looking gray and brown she-cat had joined him as soon as Bumblestripe and Brightheart stepped forward.

"Why couldn't Dovewing or Ivypool come?" the small apprentice-aged cat demanded.

_Dovewing's popular in the Clan. . .__of course Ivypool is too_, the dark brown tabby thought.

"Ivypool's expecting my kits of course," Bumblestripe meowed. "And Dovewing's been spending more time with Jayfeather since she's started eating more prey."

"She's showing signs of pregnancy," Spiderleg growled.

His heart nearly skipped a beat. Pregnancy. Just the very word sent shivers down his spine. If it were true, he wondered who the father would be.

"Right, let's get going," Brightheart murmured. "All this talk of kits makes me worry we won't find enough prey during leafbare. Cinderheart's kits just came a couple of days ago." Beside her the gray-brown apprentice gave an excited skip.

The dark brown tabby leaned forward until he felt like he was going to fall over. He saved himself by leaning back, though his fur was bristling slightly when the four cats disappeared into the darkness once more. Once he was finished grooming his unkempt fur he climbed down the fallen branch.

His eyes widened in surprise when a cream-furred shape appeared from the bushes in front of him. Dawnpelt's amber eyes were dark with worry when she looked at her brother casually.

"Tigerheart, what are you doing out so late?" she asked after yawning. "I mean I know we're ShadowClan cats, but we don't normally wander off this far."

"I was just keeping an eye on the border," Tigerheart replied. "Those ThunderClan cats were a bit too close for comfort."

Tigerheart quickly licked his chest fur in embarrassment when Dawnpelt's whiskers twitched in amusement.

"Come on brother, let's get back to camp," Dawnpelt purred.

He was surprised by the friendliness in her voice. Back in the past she had always been filled with hate and anger since their brother Flametail died. Ever since the Dark Battle, as it was now called, she had changed. Perhaps finding a mate in Scorchfur had helped.

The trees whirled past them as Tigerheart followed Dawnpelt through the sparse undergrowth. He felt elated with the fact that there was peace in the forest once more. No more dreams in the Dark Forest haunted him. Instead he had spent more time teaching the young apprentices how to control their anger before they let it get the best of them. That was what had killed Redwillow in the end. Tigerheart shook his head as he thought of the loss ShadowClan had suffered.

Tigerheart knew that the Clan would prosper in the future. Kinkfur's kits had become apprentices. Though Ivytail only had one kit who had become Littlecloud's apprentice after her sister died in the battle, he knew that she would make a good medicine cat.

_I miss Dovewing_, he thought sadly. Of course she wouldn't come to see him after the Dark Battle. She had responsibilities within her Clan that needed to be taken care of. And he had his own. No matter what happened now, life would go on. He just knew that he would have to live without Dovewing.

_**-Line-**_

She was pacing around the dark den. Her pelt was bristling with worry as she looked at the opening that had formed above the roof. Everything that Jayfeather had told her was true. In four moons her kits would come during the very beginning of newleaf.

Of course she had every right to worry. The name of her mate had refused to reveal itself. She knew that naming her mate would only bring fury to the Clan. After what had happened to Jayfeather and Lionblaze, she couldn't let the name of her mate reach the sharp ears of her Clanmates. Dovewing's ears pricked forward as she listened to her own breathing. If Jayfeather was right, than she would have two kits when the time came.

Dovewing padded out of the den to see what was happening around the camp. Sure enough life was buzzing with activity. Amberpaw, Snowpaw and Dewpaw were play-fighting. Lilypaw and Seedpaw, who were older, were busy cleaning out the elders' den.

"Dovewing, are you expecting kits too?" She nearly jumped when Ivypool emerged from the nursery. "Bumblestripe came back from the moonhigh patrol looking really tired, I'm worried he might be putting in too much work," Ivypool added after looking towards the warrior's den. Bumblestripe was Amberpaw's mentor, and had shown great promise as one.

"I. . .I am," Dovewing replied shakily.

"Really? Who's the father?" Ivypool's ears pricked forward almost immediately with interest.

"I can't tell." Dovewing looked down at her paws, feeling ashamed that she had to lie to her sister.

Worry suddenly gleamed within Ivypool's eyes. "The father's Tigerheart, isn't it?" Her question came out in a low whisper. When Dovewing made no response, Ivypool's eyes narrowed into tiny slits. "I knew you were up to know good! How could you let this happen?"

Dovewing felt her throat tighten as she tried to think of what to say. She knew that Ivypool had every right to question her motive. She had been friends with Tigerheart for some time but that night under the moon had changed everything.

"I can't change the past," Dovewing murmured after finding her voice. Ivypool's eyes lit with fury when she glared at her sister. "I wanted to make a difference to the Clan. . .maybe this will bring ShadowClan and ThunderClan closer." She added the last bit as a whisper in the fears that someone would hear them.

"As if kits would bring the Clans closer," Ivypool scoffed. Her eyes rolled before she looked away. "I won't tell anyone, but I don't expect you to ask me for help in the end."

Dovewing could only watch as her sister slipped away into the nursery. She knew that time would only tell if she was right. She hoped that her future kits would prove that she was stronger than she looked. And that they would lead ThunderClan to a bright future.

**AN: Yeah I skipped between points of views, hence the title Tiger and Dove. I don't think this is my best writing, but it's better than nothing. Hope I get some reviews! Tiger's Dove will be written in two or three days.**


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